Improvement in fluid-meters



ilniticd gentes aient- @twine Letters Patent No. 90,479, dated May 25, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLUID-METERS.

The S'chedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making 'part of the same.

To all to whom, these presents shall come:

`Bc it known that I, OYRUS IV. BALDWIN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have made an invention of certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-IvIeters; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de-I scription thereof, due reference being had to the aecompanying drawings, making part of this` specication, and iu which- Figure l is a vertical and transverse section of a liquidmeter, as embodying my invention or improvements.

Figure 2 is a perspective representation of the valve and parts of the meter, with the actuating-device of the former.

Figure 3 is a plan of the valve-seats,

The invention comprising the subject-matter of these Letters Patent, is an improvement in that class 'of liquid-meters known as diaphragm-meters, and in which the alternate pulsations of an elastic diaphragm iu a shallow, circular chamber, have the effect of not only determining and registering accurately the amount of a flowing liquid, but of edecting mechanically the operations of the valves which regulate the ingress and egress of such liquid to and from the meter.

A particular instance of the class of meters to which my present invention appertains, and to the details of whose construction such invention has local and especial reference, is exhibited and described in Letters Patent of the United States, issued to me on the 31st day of December, 1867, aud numbered 72,958.

Heretofore, in the construction of diaphragm-meters, much trouble has been experienced, owing to the uncertain action of the India-rubber diaphragm, of confining, to a precise and unvarying locality, the extremes of movement of such diaphragm, and consequently, the amount of liquid iowing through the meter is liable to vary with changing conditions of pressure of such liquid.

One object I have had in view in making this inlmention, and which the above-mentioned faults have demonstrated to be necessary to the perfect working of a diaphragm-meter, is to provide a means of compelling a uniform and unvarying action of the elastic diaphragm under any and all changes of conditions to which the meter may be subjected.

Still another purpose of this invention' is, to admit of the ingressand egress of liquid to a meter from several points, this latter being a matter of convenience in the use of a meter, and not in any sense vital to its successful operation.

The first-mentioned object is attained by disposing within the liquid-receiving or diaphragm-chamber of the instrument, in the path of movement of the diaphragm, and upon opposite sides of the same end of the-chamber, two sliding concavo-conyex foraminous disks, or gratings, or their equivalents, such disks being connected with the valve-operating mechanisms, and susceptible of short intermittentlateral reciprocations, imparted to them by the pulsations of the dia phragin, as hereinafter explained, such'disks further operating conjointly with the walls of the diaphragmchamber, in manner as hereinafter explained, t0 serve as a fixed and determined stop, `or abutment, to cover a greater portion of the area of both sides of the diaphragm, and enforce an equal action of such diaphragm.

The second object, as above enumerated, is secured by an arrangement of the valve-ports with respect to a series of inlet-orifices, and a general receiving-pasl sage, provided with a plurality of discharging-outlets, whereby the liquid may enter the meter through one or all of the former, and pass from it through one or all of the latter, as occasion or necessity may dictate, the arrangement and operation of the same being hereinafter referred to and explained.

In the drawings, before alluded toas accompanying this specification, and which illustrate my invention, a meter is shown at A, as composed of two upright and somewhat shallow, twin, concave-convex, or concavous disks, or bowls, B B', such bowls being properly screwed or bolted together at their eircumferences, and so as to enclose between them an elastic diaphragm, C, as represented, the diaphragm, by this means, in addition to its more important functions, serving to seal the joint between the disks B B', the union of such disks creating a case, G, and diaphragm-chamber, D, the latter vbeing divided by the diaphragm into two equal parts, a a.

Each disk, or bowl B is formed with a lateral, central, 'and hollow elongation, or extension, E or E', for containing a portion ofthe valve-operating mechanism, to be described.

To the upper part of the case G an inverted box, H, is securely bolted, the upper surface I of such box forming the valve-seat of the meter, while this box H is in turn provided with a pyramidal or tapering hollow cup, J, securely bolted to its valve-seat, and of such size and disposition as to form a valve-chamber, K, for the valve.

The box H has a central and transverse partition, L, extending across it, as shown in `iig. l of the accompanying drawings, while, through such partition,

an open horizontal passage, or conduit, M, is formed,

it being observed that there is no communication between such conduit and the diaphragm-chamber other than an indirect one by way of the valve-ports, to be explained.

The outlets of the conduits are entirely outside of the case G, and serve to conduct liquid from the meter` The valve-ports of the instrument are three in nurnber, and are shown at N O P, in the drawings, as made transversely through the valve-seat I, andary ranged, with respect to the diaphragm chamber and to `upon the seat I, and arranged, with respect to theports N O P, inmanner similar to the corresponding parts of a steam-engine, with the exception that the length o`f the valve is curtailed to such an extent as not to entirely close both outer ports N P simultaneously.

By this means the current of the duid is not entirely checked, and-thc sudden spasmodic fluxiops lof' such liquid, as before premised, are obviated, and a steady and even ow produced. Y

The cap J may be constructed with a number of' inlet-orifices, to admit of iiow of liquid to the instrument, but, iu practice, two will be found sufficient to answer all requirements.

`In the accompanying drawings, these two inlet-oriv ces are shown at R or S as made through opposite sides and the shortest axis of' the cap J, these conjoint oriiices being of sufficient area to'admit to the valve-chamber all the liquid of which the instrument is capable of measuring, the originalkpressure upon the liquid following it in itspassage through and from the instrument.

An arched bar, T, straddles the valve Q, and slides upon the valve-seat I," such bar extending longitudinally of' the valve-chamber, and being provided with a tilting-lever, U, disposed within a central slot, V, made' in such bar T, and pivoted to it, the said lever U being provided with 'an anti-friction roller, W, to' rest upon the .top of the valve,--as represented, and with a spring,

as, for pressing it upon the valve-seat.

The valve Q has two twin inclined grades, X Y, cut upon its opposite sides, at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the plane of the valve-seat, such grades being for reception of the roller W, which acts upon them alternately, as hereinafter stated. l

Tothe lower part of the interior of each semi-.chamber a :aand between the walls of such chambers and theforaminous disks c c', to be explained, I pivot two twin upright vibrating levers, (l d', the upper extremities of these levers-'extending through orifices, c e', made in the valve-seat I, and into recesses, or enclosures, j" j; formed in the under side of the valve-actuating bar T, before mentioned, it beingunderstood l that such bar extends entirely about suc1 oritices,and-

closes communication between them and the valvechamber'.

To the lower part of each v of the levers ll or d', and

1 a short distance above its'fulcrum, I pivot 'a short horizontal rod, g or g', the body of such rods being supported in/ suitable bearings, h or h', making part of the lateral extremities E E' ofthe case G. l

To the inner extremity of each rod g gland immediately contiguous to the levers d or d', I firmly secure a concave-convex foraminous disk, or' grating, before mentioned, as shown at c c', the outline of such disks conforming to the general conformation of the interior of the diaphragm-chamber D. v

These disks may be of such size as lto entirely monopolize the interior surface of the' diaphragm-chamber, or they may form a portion vonly ofthe same, the united wall of such chamber, and of the disks, serving, as before alluded to, to cover the entire surface of the diaphragm, and control its pulsations. i

The above description embraces the mechanical construction of a liquid-meter, as embodying myiinve'ntion, and will enable mechanics of average acquirements toA construct it.

The following'explanation will elucidate its operation, such .explanation being premised by thcwstatement that the' diaphragm-chamber, during'vv the working of the instrument, is at all times full of' liquid, and taking as astarting-point the" position ofthe valve as shown in fig. l of the accompanying drawings, which closes one port, N. aud leaves the other port, l, full open, the diaphragm G heilig at thc extreme ol' its movement in one direction, and disposed below the *open port'P.

rlheliquid enters and lls the valve-chamber K through either or both oi' the inlet-orifices It S, and the confluent streams, flowing Athrough the open poit 1), impin'ge against t-hebody of liquid which fills the diaphragm-chainber. ,v

The. pressure of this Vmovingr liquid upon the said body of liquid, acts upon the diaphragm, and forces it..

in the directionsot' its arrow, the liquid iu advance'of it being driven out of the chamber D, and into and through the port YN,tlxeuce into the chamber of the valve (e, and into and through thecentral port O,

from whence it is discharged into the general ccnduit M. v p

- From either end of' this conduit M the liquid may be conducted to its ultimate destination.

The diaphragm, in sympathy with the moving body of liquid, continues its movement in the direction 4of' its arrow, and causes a corresponding movement of the lever d and the disk C', which movement oi' the saidlever eli'ects-a movement of the sliding bar T w to bear upon the inclined grade X of the valve, and Y forces such valve, with a quick, sudden movement, uponits seat in the direction of its arrow, and' consequently closes the port I, and shuts olf flow of liquid to' th'ediaphragm-chamber from this side, and opens Vthe port N to permit ow of liquid to the opposite side of such chamber. v -i The liquid now begins to escape from'the opposite side a of the chamber D, through theport P, and the diaphragm, to advance in a direction opposite to that first mentioned, and as-shown by' its arrow.

As the movements and operation of the two sides Iof the instrument vare duplications of one another,

further'explanation upon this point is not considered mechanism'is to be'connected with the bar g', before mentioned, for. the-purpose of registering the amount of liquid owing through the instrument.

u claim.

, I claim my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United Statesf'asfollows':

l. In a liquid-meter', in which an elastic diaphragm is lemployedfor the purposespeciiied, I claim the improved construction of sucli meter, whereby nearly the entire surtaces, or area of such diaphragm are covered, at each extreme of its movement, by a portion or portions off-'the case vof the instrument, and

byja'di'sk, or grating, the-'same being for the purposeV of compelling a uniform action'jof the diaphragm, uu-

der all conditions, with resulting advantages before stated.

2. I claim, in combination with the elastic diaphragm of a'liquid-meter, of the class before alluded to, the foraminous disks c c', when connected with and operating the valve or valves of such meter, and when also acting as a stop, or abutment, to determine a uniform operation of the diaphragm, for the purpose before set forth and explained.

3. I claim the levers d d', when pivoted to tbe case G, and combined with the diaphragm C and disks c c', to operate the valve Q, substantially in manner, and for the purpose as before explained.

4. I claim the arrangement of the inlets, and the general conduit, or passage M, in connection with the valve Q and the ports N O P, whereby a liquid-meter may possess several points of ingress and departure for liquid, substantially as before premised,

GYRUS W. BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD GRIFFITH, FRED. Gnarls. 

